Using end mills with Burke #4

[Glenn Brooks]

Need help understanding how to use 3C collets in my Burke #4 vertical milling attachment.

Today, Got my vertical milling attachment set up and running today. Had fun milling down some stubs of welded on channel iron off some original castings. (No idea how the parts ended up being welded, but they did, and it was a stout, permanent weld).

I had one beat up 3C collet in my stash of spare and odd ball collet sizes. So was able to hold a 5/16” end mill to do the work.

So now the questions/problems:

End mill pulled out of the 3C collet, several times. No real harm done, but I want to mitigate this happening. I tightened the collet draw bar thingy with a crescent wrench as much as poss8ble. However, noticed the mouth of the collet fitting has a slot in the housing. Is this slot possibly used to hold a scanner wrench to the spindle to tighten the draw bar??

If not how does one immobilize the collet spindle to crank down on the draw bar more??

Here is a photo, hopefully showing the slot in the face of the collet holder.

 

[Mark_f]

I used mine often. I hold the main spindle drawbar with a wrench and tighten the right angle head drawbar. I have never had an end mill walk out. Maybe your collet is worn.

I have a few extra 3c collets. If I can ever get back to my shop, I would send them to you.

There is a ridge on the case of your right angle head. If someone has painted it, clean it off without scraping it. It is to put a square against to sqare the head with the table (or part).

 

[Glenn Brooks]

Thanks Mark! I’ll try holding the main drawbar. Very good idea. Yes the one collet I have is worn. Clearly beat up . But, it allowed me to start using the machine in vertical mode. I’ll use the ridge you describe, and check my alignment. I did set the head using a Clyinder on the table and aligning the end mill whilst mounted in the collet. Noticed the bezel graduations stamped into the bolt on support bracket were overstamped at 3 degrees or so - which is the true vertical position. That was helpful to discover.

I do have a bunch of small 3C collets. Came with a cylindrical grinder but didn’t fit it. 1/8” , 5/32” and the like. Only one is useful for an end mill. I can’t imagine what anyone would do with 1/8” work piece, or an end mill that small. Make tiny nuts and bolts maybe. Sure, if your not using your collets, I’d be happy to buy them off you.

Man the work piece sure is tucked away out of site once the vertical head and end mill is set up! Had to borrow an LED
spot light off my lathe to see what I was doing.

Great little machine thou! I initially bought this machine as a basket case, during a feeding frenzy at an estate sale. So quite happy it seems to work well after putting it back together. Doesn’t mess around removing material.

Cheers,
Glenn

 

[Mark_f]

Glenn,
I use a 1/8" end mill in the vertical head to cut keyways. The vertical Head runs at a higher speed than the main spindle, making it better to run smaller end mills. The degrees sho,uld not be that far off, but ithe are, square the head to the tabl,e using the ridge on the side and make a new zero indicator mark. Then they will be right. It could be that head was for a different machine originally.